Reenforced and ventilated shipping box



' March 26, 1929. R 1,706,804

REENFORCED AND VENTILATED SHIPPING BOX Filed May 6, 1927 my 1 Fig.2

Patented Mar. 26, 1929.

- UNITED STATES 1,706,804 PATENT OFFICE.

KINNEY I. MILLER, 01? LANCASTER, MISSOURI.

REENFORGED' AND VENTILATED SHIPPING BOX.

Application filed May 6, 1927. Serial No. 189,226.

The present invention relates to 'shipping boxes as constructed of strawboard, paste board or any other suitably flexible material, andjmore particularly relates to that form of such boxes wherein the structure is reenforced or strengthened by means of integrally formed hollow ribs or bosses extended across the material of the structure. These integrally formed ribs are-generally V-shaped in cross section, and are formed up by crimping, folding, flexing, channeling or corrugating the stock of which the box is made.

Regardless of the particular cross sectional form of hollow rib or boss employed, the prime object of this present invention is to provide a simple, efiicient and practical means for preventing the spreading, fiattening or collapsing of such ribs under pressure, as when the boxes are stacked up in tiers.

Another object is to provide a reenforced, integral structure for either the lid or body of a shipping box, wherein the reenforcing features or elements will simultaneously serve as spacers for preventing the too close packing of the boxes in rows or tiers, and wherein the said ribs are provided with air openings or cut outs, as means for ventilating the interior of the box.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of a box lid blank, marked out in accordance withthis invention, the solid lines indicating clean cuts through the blank and the dotted lines indicating the lines of flexure for forming the reenforcing ribs and tie tongues directly upon the top of'the lid;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a lid after the reenforcing ribs are formed, the side flanges turned, and the free ends of the tie tongues extended beneath the opposite margin of the opening and there fastened to serve as a tie;

Figure 3 is a transverse, sectional view of the completed lid, on the line 33' of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a section of a modified form of lid blank, wherein the reenforcing ribs and tie tongues are marked off at two opposite margins of the lid blank, at the points of flexure of the side flanges, instead of directly at the top of the blank as shown in previous figures;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a lid as formed from the blank shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a transverse, sectional view on the line 6-6 in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the same form oflid as shown in Figure 2, illustrating the use of individual and separate tie tongues or straps in lieu of the integrally formed ones, as rib supporting elements.

In constructing a box lid in accordance with this invention, I provide a blank 1 of strawboard or other suitably flexible material and score thereupon rib flexure lines or grooves 2 at two opposite sides of that-central portion of the blank 1 intended to serve as the top surface 15 of the completed lid 18; the said grooves being longitudinally aligned, and adapted to facilitate the forming of the longitudinally and transversely spaced reenforcing, spacing and ventilating ribs 3, as will be later pointed out. I further cut the tie tongue or strap incisions 4 clear through the blank, thereby forming the straps or tie tongues 6 which cut medially across the extended longitudinal axes of the ribs 3 arranged in pairs at each side of the blank 1, as stated, the said tongues breaking the continuity of the said longitudinally aligned rib portions. In addition I cut the rib flange incisions 5, the conventional corner incisions 10, and score the conventional side flange flexure lines or grooves 9, the said rib flange incisions 5 at each side of the blank bein cut in alignment upon the scorelines 9 running transversely to the score lines 2 at two opposite margins of the blank 1. Thus the tie tongues 6 remain integrally connected with the blank 1 at one portion thereof, while their free ends 7 are adapted to be lapped past the edges or margins 8, formed by cutting out the said tongues, as the ribs 3 are formed up.

The blank 1 thus scored and incised is now ready to be formed into the completed lid 18, and this is accomplished by forming up the ribs 3 to a sort of V-shaped formation, which action causes the ends 7 of the straps or tie tongues 6 to lap past the opposed edges 8 of the medial opening made by the cutting out of the tongues from the blank, and the said ends 7 are then securely fastened to the margins 8 by means of staples 11, or in any desired manner. These tie tongues 6 thus effectually serve to prevent the collapsing or spreading of the ribs 3. The side flanges 12 are finally turned down and the corners 13 are folded and secured in conventional'manner. The ribs 3 serve as reenforcing elements formed directly upon and along the corners .17 formed by the top portion and the side flanges 12. Similarly the tie tongues 6 are struck out medially of the portions 3 directly upon the corner-s 17, and the free ends 7 of these tongues are lapped down upon the sideflangcs 12 and there secured. This form of structure affords comparatively flat top and side surfaces for the completed lid 18 Where such a structure may be desirable and also throws the ventilation apertures 14 well over to the sides of the box. The fold lines 2 shown in Fig, 4 are adapted to permit a slight upward thrust of the corner 17 of the box, which will result in a slight spacing of the box from another receptacle, and when tlfis occurs there will be a slight flexing of the outer flange 12.

The straps or tongues 6 are preferably struck integrally from the blank 1, and with one portion remaining integrally connected therewith, as shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive of the drawing; but free, individual straps 6 maybe employed if preferred, as shown in Figure 7 of the drawing. In this case the two ends of such strap are secured by staples 11 to the opposite margins of the blank immediately at the opening in the blank formed between the ends of two adj acent, axially aligned ribs 3.

Of course, the same form of structure a here described for the lid portion of a box, mayv be also used for a body portion (not shown) if such use should be found desirable; and box lids or bodies so formed are found to be very strong and light, capable of sustaining considerable weight or of being.

piled upon one another in tiers; In such use the tie tongues 6 prevent the flattening or spreading of the ribs 3, and the ribs themselves also afford ventilation and act as spacers for-the boxes, preventing them being packed so closely together as to endanger by smothering the live contents of any such boxes.

It will be seen, therefore, that the essen tial feature of this invention resides in,the structure resulting from the breaking of the continuity of What would otherwisebe a con: tinuous, integrally formed, Vshaped rib flexure extending across a surface of the box structure, by medially cutting through the said rib'portion of the blank at two spaced ,6; points and thereby forming two longitudinally spaced and aligned ribs, and then A utilizing the opening thus formed through the blank and between the adjacent ends of the two ribs as a seat or situs for the reception of a tie tongue or strap extended across the opening in the blank and fastened to the margins of the blank at each side of the said opening/after the said ribs are formed up, as

means for preventing the spreading or flattenlng of those ribs under weight or pressure; the said tie tongue or strap being formed preferably integrally with the blank and of the intermediate material of the blank resulting from the said incisions having portions laid out for flexing and forming two hollow, longitudinally spaced reenforcing ribs and a flat, integrally connected tie tongue extended transversely between the said ribs and constituting the separating element therefor.

2. A blank for a box lid or body, the same having portions laid out for flexing and forming two channeled, longitudinally spaced and aligned reenforcing ribs, the portion of the blank separating the two ribs being laid out for forming a tie tongue.

3. A blank for a box lid or body, the same having portions thereof demarked and incised, and so adapted for forming a lid or body having V-shaped, longitudinally spaced and aligned reenforcing ribs and tie tongues extended transversely between the ribs.

4;. A blank for a box lid or body, the same having portions demarked and incised thereupon adapted for forming flexed, longitudinally spaced and aligned reenforcing ribs and tie tongues between the adjacent aligned ends of the said aligned ribs.

5. A box lid or body having flexed, longitudinally spaced reenforcing ribs, and a tie tongue extended between two of the said ribs and constituting the separating and supporting element therefor.

I 6. A box lid or body having hollow, longitudinally spaced and aligned reenforcing ribs, and a tie tongue extended transversely between two ofthe said aligned ribs for preventing the collapsing of the ribs under pressure.

7. Abox lid or body having V-shaped reenforcing ribs spaced apart upon their longitudinal axes, and means formed integrally with the material of the structure interposed between-the ends of adjacent ribs for preventing their collapse under pressure.

8. A box lid or body having a'number of integrally folded, longitudinally spaced reenforcing ribs, and integrally formed tie tongues interposed between the ends of adjacent ribs and arranged to prevent the collapsing of the ribs.

9. A box lid or body having a number of integrally formed, longitudinally spaced and aligned reenforcing rib-flexures, and tie tongues extended transversely between the ends of adjacent aligned rib-flexures, the said tie tongues being integrallyconnected with the material of the structure at one edge of the flexure c line, and having free ends whereby they are secured to the material of the structure at the opposite edge of the flexure line in a manner to prevent the collapsing of the rib flexures.

10. In a structure of the kind described, embodying an integrally formed, hollowed reenforcing rib, a tongue integrally formed with the rib and having its integral connection at one side of the gap of the rib, and having a free end extended athwart the gap of the rib and secured thereby to the material of the structure at the opposite side of.

the gap of the rib, whereby the sides of the rib are connected at the base and prevented from spreading.

11. A box structure of flexible material, embodying integrally formed rib flexures spaced apart endwise, the intervening struc- V tended across the opening and secured at its free end to opposite margin of the material, as a supporting element for the said rib flexures.

12. A box structure of flexible material,

embodying integrally formed rib flexures spaced apart endwise, the intervening structural material being cut away to form an opening; and a strap suspended at its ends across said opening as a supporting element for the said rib flexures. 13. In a box structure of flexible material having rib flexures incorporated therein and spaced apart endwise, the intervening material between the ends of the'fiexures being cut away and forming an opening; a rib fiexure supporting element extended across the opening. I

14. In a box structure of flexible material having rib folds incorporated therein and spaced apart endwise, the intervening material being cut away on all sides save only one and thereby forming an opening through the material; a tiestrap formed of said intervenlng, cut-away material, the free POItIOII' of the said strap being extended across the said opening and fastened to the opposite margin of the material.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

KINNEY I. MILLER. 

